TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Questions about backups during a week like this don't often sit well with Nick Saban. It falls into the same category as questions about "healing up" and he'd rather talk about playing reserves after he's able to safely insert them into the game.

Perhaps what inspired the Alabama coach to let it slide when he was separately asked to address two of his promising redshirt freshmen Monday was that both played important snaps in the Crimson Tide's victory over No. 1 Mississippi State.

Wide receiver ArDarius Stewart picked up his first career start, drew an early pass interference call on a deep route and caught two passes for 25 yards in his most extensive action of the season. Running back Tyren Jones, who has been Alabama's top option in mop-up duty, never touched the ball against Mississippi State but saw the field for a handful of snaps in a game that summoned few second- or third-team players into action.

Certainly, both Stewart and Jones are in line for extensive playing time if Alabama does what it's supposed to do against Western Carolina, but there's a good chance they'll be among those contributing early and often no matter what.

The reasons are multiple.

In Stewart's case, one of the players ahead of him on the depth chart, senior DeAndrew White, is battling a hamstring injury. It's White's third different injury of the season, and his status for Saturday's game has yet to be finalized. White was dressed out but not participating during Tuesday's media viewing session. Stewart was third in line during one individual drill behind senior Christion Jones and star junior Amari Cooper.

But Stewart was a starter Saturday before White suffered his injury. He was used on a designed play against LSU, and there were multiple plays against Mississippi State in which Stewart, the former Fultondale star, appeared to be the No. 1 option. Some of the plays looked similar to what Alabama would run with speedy running back Kenyan Drake before he broke his leg.

On the season, Stewart has seven catches for 98 yards.

"ArDarius Stewart is a fast, explosive guy who got to play a little bit more in this game, and we've been trying to play him all year long," Saban said. "He is a guy to me that can make explosive plays, and hopefully the experience that he gets and that he is getting is going to help him realize the importance of paying attention to detail, doing the little things right that he needs to do to be able to have success as a player.

"He certainly can be a guy that could make plays for us and be a great complement to some of the other players that we have who are making plays for us."

Jones will be one step closer to significant carries if T.J. Yeldon doesn't see the field against Western Carolina. Yeldon continues to deal with an ankle sprain and wasn't participating during Tuesday's viewing session.

Jones wore a scout team jersey at practices last week but was in his normal No. 20 on Tuesday. Suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules during the bye week, Jones is fourth on the team with 123 rushing yards and a touchdown. That total could jump if he's the No. 2 option behind Derrick Henry.

Yeldon did not play in last year's game against Chattanooga. Henry, who received a similar number of carries as Jones at this point of last season, ran six times for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Mocs in what was at the time his most extensive playing time of the season.

"He's a very instinctive runner," Saban said of Jones. "Certainly we need for somebody to be able to help us at running back because of some of the injuries that we have and provide some added depth for us, and hopefully guys that can fulfill some roles for us down the road here. So there's some opportunity, and so far Tyren has done a good job of improving and taking advantage of that."